| Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
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BOISE – Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden's primary election challenger, Myron Dan Gabbert, accused him Wednesday night of failing to head off the University Place scandal, but Wasden responded that he was "the one who cleaned it up."
The exchange came as the two Republicans debated on live TV, in a face-off sponsored by the League of Women Voters, the Idaho Press Club and Idaho Public Television.
University Place involved a failed effort by the University of Idaho and its foundation to develop a satellite campus in Boise. The project's financing collapsed, improper loans from the university to the foundation were uncovered and former UI President Robert Hoover resigned. Just one building, the Idaho Water Center, ended up being constructed.
"You had an opportunity of counseling the governor and other leaders to perhaps change their course of action, to avoid the course of action that resulted," Gabbert, a McCall attorney, told Wasden. "That wasn't accomplished."
Wasden noted that he appointed a special deputy, Larry Prince, to do an extensive investigation of the deal that resulted in a far-reaching report. That report's findings then led to both criminal and civil cases.
"I didn't create the mess, but I was willing to step forward and clean it up," Wasden said.
The sparring over University Place wasn't the only difference that surfaced between Gabbert and Wasden, who was first elected attorney general in 2002 after serving as chief deputy in the office. The two also disagreed over mandatory minimum sentences – Gabbert opposes them, while Wasden proposed new ones this year for repeat sex offenders – and the death penalty.
Gabbert said, "We're spending literally millions of dollars trying to execute people, and the facts would indicate that you aren't going to get the job done no matter what."
Wasden disagreed. "I believe that there are some crimes so heinous, so cruel and vicious, so depraved that … the death penalty is an appropriate resolution," he said.
On mandatory minimum sentences, Wasden said Idaho has few – seven for felonies, and five for misdemeanor offenses. He proposed SB 1301 this year to set mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years for sex offenders who reoffend and life for designated violent sexual predators who commit a second sex crime.
While acknowledging that such long sentences carry a price tag, Wasden said, "I believe that one of the best uses we can make of our public dollars is to protect our children."
Gabbert said judges should be allowed to decide appropriate sentences. Gabbert, who serves as elected part-time prosecutor in Adams County, said taxpayer money would be better used to target unreported sex crimes and do more prosecutions.